Finally the Pacific

Day 33 Vancouver WA

We reached the end of the road today, so to speak. No, not with each other...
We ran out of North America, so we have to make a right turn tomorrow, or maybe TWO right turns to head back.

But first, had to contend with the fact that the Jeep went insane in the horn dept. Sunday the horn started when Jim hit the transponder and it happened a few more times since. Remember that we're in RV parks, close to our neighbors and our walls are thin, so when a horn blasts, everyone gets disturbed. This morning, we couldn't open any door without it blasting and NOT being able to stop it for more than a few minutes. Off to the Jeep dealership where we rented a PT Cruiser for the day while they determined what the heck the problem was.

We decided to head up toward Astoria and the mouth of the Columbia River. We took I5 up to Kelso then RT4 (Ocean Beach Highway) through Longview. This town has one of the prettiest urban parks...Lake Sakajawea Park, which we remembered going through way back on our 1991 trip.

We also remembered that this RT4 was where we encountered a washout and the 'Detour from Hell' on that trip. The detour was a logging road with something like a 12% downhill grade. How bad was that? Well, you know when you're on a roller coaster and you come to the crest of a hill and you can't see the ground in front of you unless you stretch your neck forward? Yeah, like that. We never forgot it, and never will take a 'detour' in a mountainous area again. Ever.

But today there were no detours, of course, we were in the PT Cruiser...that Jim complained about constantly. The weather was cold (in the 40's!) and damp, which is normal here. I hear the sun shines occasionally and I didn't know how lucky we were to see so much sun when we were here in 2003 for the DWLZ conference.

On the way we saw an amazing amount of tree damage from storms last December, some places looked like a tornado had gone through. We arrived at the tiny seaside town of Ilwaco and found a place that served coffee. Kind of strange place, the guy kept trying to give us Italian food, and when we got outside discovered the coffee was undrinkable....just didn't taste like coffee!

We then took a short ride up to Cape Disappointment to see the amazing surf and the Pacific. We walked a quarter mile to see the lighthouse, but it was so cold and windy...we are wimps. Took a few quick photos to mark our westernmost point of our trip and hurried back to the car. Tried to get fresh halibut at a local seafood store, but it looked like 'long time, no sea', I know my fish, so we passed. I did take a picture of some dungeoness crab for my daughter in law, though. Didn't buy any.

We headed back down US101 south to just a little south of Seaside, Oregon, then on to RT26 (Sunset Hwy) southeast toward Portland and back to Vancouver. They do a great deal of clear cuting of forests in this area. I feel bad, but I also know that lumber is needed. Of course it would be nice to have the country with all virgin forests, but that's not practical.

We also timed it right to be able to enjoy the rush hour in Portland again.

Took the car back, got the Jeep back, not fixed....just with the horn disabled (can get it fixed for less back home) and got ready to go to dinner with friends here in Vancouver. I was so glad to see Dotti again, it's been FIVE years. Jim and I finally had our halibut and it was wonderful. Dotti and Al are such a great couple and we're hoping someday they will let us show them around Charleston...spring or fall, summers suck in the south.

Said our goodbyes to our friends and settled down to watch a little TV. A short time later Jim started searching for the remote, couldn't find it. We both started looking all around in all the obvious places, even pulling the sofa out to check behind it...it just couldn't have disappeared in such close quarters. Then Jim stepped in front of me and turned back to look near the drivers section...and I burst out laughing. Laughing so hard that I literally was bent double holding my stomach. He kept asking me what was so funny, but it only made me laugh harder. I grabbed my ever-ready camera and snapped quickly. He couldn't figure out what was so funny until I pulled the remote out from his waistband. One of the consequences of losing weight, I guess, must have slipped off the couch and he didn't even feel it...

Tomorrow we start our return trip home.